Grand scheme of things
Bogey slams emphasis on 7th straight
It was nine months ago that Xander Bogaerts first faced Rays pitcher Jacob Faria.
He looked at the first two pitches. He fouled off the third. And the fourth one ruined his 2017 season.
Bogaerts had since faced Faria three times, going 0-for-3 against him until he knocked the Tampa Bay starter around in a six-RBI game to lead the Red Sox to a 10-3 win yesterday at Fenway Park.
“I don’t even want to think about last year — that’s over with,” Bogaerts said after the Sox extended their winning streak to seven games. “I think our focus should be on this year, the group of guys we have. We have something really great going on right now.”
This is just the fourth time in franchise history the Red Sox have won seven of their first eight games. They haven’t done that since 1920.
Bogaerts’ first time up yesterday he roped a hanging changeup for a two-run double, his seventh double in eight games. He had 32 doubles in 148 games last year. Only 12 of them were hit after Bogaerts got plunked in the right hand by Faria’s fastball on July 6.
His second at-bat was with the bases loaded in the second inning. Bogaerts got a fastball over the plate and he demolished it, clearing everything in left field and sending the ball toward the Massachusetts Turnpike for a grand slam, the Red Sox’ first slam since 2016.
“I think the cold affected him a little bit today,” Bogaerts said of Faria. “He was a bit erratic compared to how he was in Tampa.”
It was the second grand slam of Bogaerts’ career and was a singlegame high for RBI.
“He’s been an unbelievable hitter every year, now he’s got the power, so he’s a big threat at the plate,” said starter Rick Porcello.
J.D. Martinez, who also rounded the bases with a solo shot in the seventh that marked his first in a Red Sox uniform, said of Bogaerts, “It’s impressive watching him.”
Bogaerts is now 13-for-35 (.371) with nine RBI to start the 2018 season, a stark contrast to the final months of last season, when he hit .232 with a .661 OPS in the final 68 games after his hand injury.
“If he puts himself body-wise in a good position, he’s going to keep doing that,” manager Alex Cora said. “One thing for sure, he’s hunting strikes. He’s not expanding. Those were two great swings. It’s good to see.”
Bogaerts wasn’t the only one to go off against Faria and the Rays in front of 31,821.
In the second home game of the season, with the wind chill making it 37 degrees at game time, the Sox jumped on Faria for eight runs in 12⁄3 innings.
The Rays planned on having an all-bullpen game today, but they ended up going most of the way on their bullpen yesterday, too.
In the seventh, Martinez turned on an inside fastball from Chaz Roe and roped it over the Green Monster. Rafael Devers also homered off Roe in the inning.
The Sox had just four homers entering the game but added three more in this one.
“The thoughts on this team? Composed. Relaxed. Chillin. Hanging out,” Martinez said. “Everybody is hungry. Everyone just goes out and plays. This is a very loose team, a loose clubhouse. I think Alex does a great job of that. We’re 7-1 but it really doesn’t feel like we’re 7-1. It just feels like we’re playing baseball right now.”
After the Sox gained a lead on Faria, Porcello settled in nicely. He gave up two runs in the first inning but didn’t allow another until the eighth.
Porcello was the first Red Sox starter to allow more than one run this year, but also the first to get into the eighth inning. He walked off the mound after 71⁄3 innings and 94 pitches to a standing ovation.
The Red Sox had scored 24 runs in seven games before putting up a 10-spot yesterday.
“We’ve been hot enough,” Cora said. “We took off, and we can do that. I think we can do that often. We feel we have a good offensive team, and it’s just a matter of time.”